Why West Brom should sign Matheus Pereira permanently

According to Daily Mirror, Sporting Lisbon have offered West Bromwich Albion another 30 days to secure a permanent deal for on-loan star Matheus Pereira.

The 23-year-old attacker has been arguably West Brom’s star performer this season, helping them to second in the Championship rankings. Pereira has a whopping 16 assists and 6 goals to his name, making him one of the top performers in the league.

Pereira is his side’s top assist giver and is way above the rest of his teammates, with the second-best being Grady Diangana, who has six assists under his belt. The winger’s standout displays have made him a crowd favourite at the Hawthorns, with the club now eager to make their on-loan star’s stay permanent.

Meanwhile, Sporting Lisbon had offered West Brom time until May 31 to secure Pereira’s services permanently for a sum of £8.25million as agreed upon his £750,000 loan move last summer. However, now with the coronavirus situation forcing a lockdown in the UK, the Portuguese outfit has extended the deadline until June 30 but not anywhere beyond that.

Pereira can offer West Brom versatility in the attack

Pereira has played a key role in manager Slaven Bilic’s plans this season, featuring in 33 of their 37 league games. To date, this has been Pereira’s best-ever season in his career, which gives an indication of the form that he is in.

Even though this is his first-ever stint in England, Pereira has not taken time at all to adjust to his new surroundings, giving a clear picture of the talent that he is. Primarily a right-winger, Pereira has, however, mostly been deployed as an attacking midfielder by Bilic this season.

His adaptability to function anywhere in the attack has seen him play 19 of his 33 league games as a playmaker. Despite playing out of his favoured position, Pereira seems to be enjoying himself, with his 12 out of 16 assists and 5 out of 6 goals coming from that role.

West Brom, meanwhile, do not have too many players in that role, with Filip Krovinovic being the only other option. However, despite making 31 appearances, he has managed just two goals and four assists, making him a second-choice behind Pereira.

Having proved his versatility as an attacker, Pereira could thus prove to be a valuable asset for the Baggies, who will be keen on earning promotion to the top-flight next season. Considering all this, West Brom should land the in-form Pereira as soon as possible.

Read more:

• Why Mislav Orsic could be a real coup for West Brom
• Why West Brom must sign Matheus Pereira permanently
• West Brom’s move for Northampton-born talent Callum Robinson doesn’t make sense – Here’s why

Verdict

With West Brom facing an almost certain promotion to the Premier League, having Pereira in the squad will only be a blessing. Moreover, he is still young and could develop even further.

Also, his versatility will offer coach Bilic plenty of options in the attack if a move happens. Hence, West Brom must secure Pereira’s services permanently.